Gifts for a child's soul

Our strangest family tradition must be Epiphany. On January 6th each of the children receive a gift intended to help them grow in faith during the new year. Kristin and I also exchange gifts of the same kind.

The strange part is how the gifts are wrapped--the wackier the better. Kristin's gift-wrapping was really clever this year--her gift came to me in a Hawaiian dinner roll bag (bread for the soul looking forward to Paradise). The other gifts were similarly wrapped in odd things: a shower cap, a diaper, a briefcase, etc.

Zeke and Faith each received some God-honoring music for very young children.



Isaiah received a brand new edition of Bunyan's "other" allegory, The Holy War: The Battle for Mansoul. It looks to be very well done.


Grace receive a collection of short bios of godly women of the past. She's already finished it.


Another great children's series of Christian biographies started last year with a look at Calvin. This year the focus is on Augustine.


Kristin gave me a copy of Gospel-Powered Parenting and I gave her A Praying Life. I've heard both are excellent!

Free Christmas songs

Justin at Between Two Worlds has received permission to offer several free Christmas songs for download.

The first two are from Isaac Wardell and the folks at Bifrost Arts. Their album is Salvation Is Created: A Christmas Record From Bifrost Arts. Kevin Twit, founder of Indelible Grace Music, describes the project this way, "This is an exquisitely beautiful record. The string arrangements are lush and creative. The sonic quality of the recording and the mixing is superb. But it is not a light sappy project at all—Thomas Kincaid and his ilk had nothing to do with this music, and for that we can be thankful."

Joy Joy!!! (Featuring Devon Sproule and Paul Curreri) [5:15]
Download the mp3 (right-click then “save as”).

Veiled In Darkness (Featuring Matt Bauer and Maeve) [5:19]
Download the mp3 (right-click then “save as”).

The next set is from Sovereign Grace music. Their Christmas album is Savior: Celebrating the Mystery of God Become Man.

Savior contains twelve truth-saturated songs, suitable for worshiping God year-round. Each song ponders and celebrates the reason for Christ’s coming.

Emmanuel, Emmanuel
(Download the mp3)

Rejoice
(Download the mp3)

The third set are from the folks at Red Mountain Music and their album, Silent Night.

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent
(Download the MP3.)

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
(Download the MP3.)

The final set are from Sojourn Music and their album Advent Songs.

Joy to the World
(Download the MP3)

Hosanna in the Highest
(Download the MP3)

Thanks to Justin Taylor and especially these talented musicians!

The World As Best As I Remember It

While looking for some music to enjoy during dish duty tonight I reached to the back of the CD drawer and pulled out an old Rich Mullins album. Brought back sweet memories of my first years as a Christian. I haven't followed Contemporary Christian Music for years, but I can't imagine it's gotten any better than this doctor of my soul.

Sons and Daughters

I highly recommend this album. It is a musically enjoyable and theologically delightful tool to remind yourself of God’s adopting grace. It will put a song in your heart to remind you of what God has done in Christ--while none of us were naturally God's children, God, in his grace has made us his own sons and daughters through the death of his beloved Son.

I have several Sovereign Grace albums and this one is right up there withValley of Vision and Savior.

Free modern recordings of old hymns

Here's a free album I like; Page CXVI is sharing their recent recordings for free to bless the wider church. You can listen and download them at their site.

(For those curious, I'm told that CXVI is the page number where Aslan sings Narnia into being.)

Others that are good at putting old hymns to modern tunes:
Nathan Clark George
Jars of Clay - Redemption Songs
Indelible Grace albums
Sovereign Grace Music
Red Mountain Music

Echos from last Sunday

This line from a hymn we sang in worship Sunday is taken from Phil 1:21 and expresses the longing of a Christian's heart well:

"...having known it "Christ to live," let me know it "gain to die."

Thank you, Mr. Wardlaw.

Christ, of All My Hopes the Ground
Ralph Wardlaw
1817

Rise in the Darkness

Good music, good for your soul. I'm enjoying some great passages of Scripture, old hymns, and original songs set to a mix of meditative and stirring acoustics. My favorite so far is the great job he does with "Not What My Hands Have Done". We met the artist when he passed through ABQ a couple of summers ago and it looks like he's coming back to NM pretty soon.

Music Review--Before the Throne

Sojourn's Before the Throne deserves the high praise (a rare 5 stars) Christianity Today gave it. I read about it from Tim Challies (scroll down on his post for his comments and easy downloading directions) and agree with his strong recommendation. This music enlivens my soul and prepares me for public worship and just day-to-day keeping my mind on things above.

CT sums up what I think with this quote, "The music is the draw, but the lyrics are what keep you coming back—as it should be."

Music Review--You and You Alone

I received a CD titled You and You Alone recently from Sovereign Grace music for agreeing to mention it on this blog. Since the songs on the CD were written by a father and son, I've asked my daughter Grace to help me review it.

She liked the music and the words because they were about God. Her favorite song is I Surrender All (Reprise) because she likes the tune and there were more people singing together on it. Grace and I would describe this music as folk rock music; the songs earlier were more heavy rock and the ones in the later part of the CD were more folk.

I'm always thankful for the work of Sovereign Grace music, and enjoyed receiving this CD, although I prefer less rock and more folk in music.

While blessings flee, Savior Lord we trust in Thee!

Music is useful in a believer's life to awaken godly affections and to seek the things that are above. The Indelible Grace cds, old, mostly forgotten hymns, set to new music, are great for that. My favorite cut on the new cd is In The Hours, which is performed in a strong, black gospel style. You can hear it here, and the heavenly-minded lyrics are below.

In The Hours

© 2007 Kevin Twit Music

Words by Helen L. Parmelee alt by Kevin Twit, Music by Kevin Twit

1. In the hours of pain and sorrow,
When the world brings no relief
When the eye is dim and heavy,
And the heart oppressed with grief
While blessings flee, Savior Lord we trust in Thee!
While blessings flee, Savior Lord we trust in Thee!


2. When the snares of death surround us,
Pride, ambition, love of ease.
Mammon with her false allurements,
Words that flatter, smiles that please
Then ere we yield, Savior Lord be Thou our shield
Then ere we yield, Savior Lord be Thou our shield


3. When forsaken in distress,
Poor despised and tempest-tossed.
With no anchor here to stay us,
Drifting, sail and rudder lost
Then save us Thou, who trod this earth with weary brow
Then save us Thou, who trod this earth with weary brow


4. Thou the hated and forsaken,
Thou the bearer of the cross.
Crowned of thorns and mocked and smitten,
Counting earthly gain but loss
When scorned are we, We joy to be the more like Thee
When scorned are we, We joy to be the more like Thee


5. Thou the Father’s best beloved,
Thou the throned and sceptred King.
Who but Thee should we adoring,
All our prayers and praises bring?
So blessed are we, Savior Lord in loving Thee
So blessed are we, Savior Lord in loving Thee

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas

The snow on the ground brings to mind a question for you. What's your favorite Christmas CD? Each year we buy a new Christmas album to enjoy in December. I haven't purchased one yet, but I'm leaning towards a collection of carols played on hammered dulcimer sold by Ligonier.

To answer my own question, in hopes you may be interested, I look forward to this time each year when I dust off my copy of Georg Friedrich Handel’s famous work Messiah performed by St Martin-in-the-Fields. With the words in hand and the headphones on I'll awaken my soul in the morning before the others are awake.

On a lighter note, our family has enjoyed Sovereign Grace's Christmas album from last year so much that we've listened to it year round. I recommend it.


So back to my original question, what's your favorite Christmas album? I need to select this year's soon.